Sevenoaks

Sevenoaks' population grew in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. At the same time there were changes in religion and housing tenure.

The population passed 110,000

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of Sevenoaks increased by 5.1%, from just over 109,000 to 115,000.

The addition of almost 5,600 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Sevenoaks was home to, on average, 2.2 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Sevenoaks

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Sevenoaks increased by two years, from 41 to 43 years.

This growing rural area had a higher average age than the South East and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of almost 3,300 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 2,000.

About 13.0% of people in Sevenoaks are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Sevenoaks by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Sevenoaks

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Sevenoaks was among those who said they had no religion, rising 11.7 points.

In 2011, 27.3% of respondents in Sevenoaks gave this religion on the census compared with 15.6% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the South East, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 17.9% to 30.1%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Newham, 70.8% said they were Christian, compared with 83.1% in 2001. About 0.2% said they were Sikh, compared with 0.1% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion increased from 7.9% to 8.2%.

In Sevenoaks, 7.6% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.3% in 2001. In South East, 7.4% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population without a religion in Sevenoaks increased by 11 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, South East and Sevenoaks by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Sevenoaks

The percentage of Sevenoaks residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 7.7% to 7.4% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.0%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 2.3% in 2001. The percentage of Sevenoaks residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 89.6%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 6.8% in 2001 to 6.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Sevenoaks, but at a slower rate than in Dartford (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Sevenoaks).

In Sevenoaks, the proportion of private renting increased from 6.7% in 2001 to 10.8% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Dartford increased from 8.0% to 15.9%.

Across the South East, the share of privately rented homes increased from 10.2% to 16.5%.

The rate of social housing in Sevenoaks fell from 13.8% to 13.2%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 75.9% to 72.7%.

Private renting in Sevenoaks increased by 4.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Sevenoaks, the South East and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Sevenoaks residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 6.6% to 4.0% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (84.6%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 72.9% in 2001. The percentage of Sevenoaks residents that described their health as fair decreased from 20.5% to 11.5%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 7.2% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Sevenoaks decreased by 2.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Sevenoaks, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Sevenoaks

In 2011, 95.8% of Sevenoaks residents said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, up from from 98.0% in 2001.

Across the South East, the percentage of people from one of the White ethnic groups fell from 95.3% to 90.9%, while across England the percentage went from 90.7% to 85.1%.

Around 1.8% of people in Sevenoaks said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, compared with 0.8% in 2001. About 1.5% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 0.8% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.2% to 0.7%.

The population from one of the White ethnic groups in Sevenoaks decreased by 2.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Sevenoaks by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Sevenoaks, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.6% to 9.3% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over one in four (27.0%) households had only one person, compared with 26.1% in 2001. The percentage of households in Sevenoaks which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 43.7% to 40.4%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 8.7% in 2001 to 9.9% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was lower than across the South East

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

More adults are separated from partners

The percentage of adults in Sevenoaks that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 9.3% to 10.7% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over one in two (54.7%) people aged 16 and over said they were married, compared with 58.3% in 2001. The percentage of single people in Sevenoaks increased from 24.1% to 27.3%.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 10.6% in 2001 to 11.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 10.6% to 11.6%.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Change in work hours

The percentage of employees working less than 16 weekly hours increased from 7.5% to 8.1% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census remained close to 3.6%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 6.9% in 2001 to 7.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 6.4% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week was higher than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Sevenoaks residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.5% to 2.0% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 0.8%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 1.7% in 2001 to 2.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Sevenoaks remained close to 2.0%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Sevenoaks by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in work life

The percentage of Sevenoaks residents that were employed remained close to 52.8% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.8%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were unemployed, compared with 1.9% in 2001. While the percentage of Sevenoaks residents that were self-employed increased from 11.8% to 13.6%.

The proportion of employed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 55.4% in 2001 to 54.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 52.5% to 52.3%.

The rate of employment was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were employed across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Sevenoaks with only adult children living with their parents remained close to 10.6% between the last two censuses.

The percentage that had at least one dependent child remained close to 30.1%, while the percentage of households in Sevenoaks without children remained close to 59.5%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 8.8% in 2001 to 9.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across the South East

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

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